Middle East back issues from February 2006:
Comment
Feb 01, 2006; ... As The Middle East went to press two men dominated the Court pages of national newspapers in Britain, both of them accused of crimes of race hate. At The Old Bailey in London, is 47-year-old Muslim cleric Abu Hamza Al Masri, who denies 14 charges of attempting to stir up racial hatred ...
With us or against us -Iran talks tough
Feb 01, 2006; ... Any diplomatic situation between two countries in the Middle East is invariably more complex and dynamic than meets the eye. The matter of Iran's nuclear ambitions is no exception. Richard Seymour reports USUALLY SIMPLIFIED TO A DIPLOMATIC conflict between Iran on one side and the United ...
They will come from the skies
Feb 01, 2006; ... As the US gets ready to reduce ground forces in Iraq, it is stepping up its air war against insurgents. AS THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION, battered by growing domestic opposition to the war in Iraq, moves towards reducing the number of ground troops there, expect the air war to intensify. This ...
The search for Osama's 'sorcerer'
Feb 01, 2006; ... REGIONAL Americans step up their hunt for the Egyptian in charge of Osama bin Laden's bio-war programme. By Ed Blanche THE UNITED STATES MILITARY COMmand in Iraq released two of Saddam Hussein's most notorious biological weapons specialists in December, among more than a score of ...
Turkey prepares for mortgage revolution
Feb 01, 2006; ... Turkey's real estate market is set for major changes in the year ahead, as new laws on mortgages and foreign ownership take their places on the statute books. Jon Gorvett reports from Istanbul RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ARE likely TO revolutionise Turkey's housing market and have a major impact ...
Regional Economic Outlook 2006
Feb 01, 2006; ... ROWTH IN THE MIDDLE East and North Africa (MENA) remains strong and prospects for the New Year are good, but this growth must accelerate onto a new higher path to address the challenges of improving socio-economic welfare and reducing unemployment. The solid fiscal and external positions ...
UAE opts for power sector partnerships
Feb 01, 2006; ... Many Middle Eastern governments have discussed privatising their power generation sectionss but few have made the headway that the UAE is poised to achieve WHILE MANY GOVERNMENTS in the Middle East have announced plans to privatise their power sector assets, the UAE is actually putting ...
New constitution threatens Iraq's ethnic groups
Feb 01, 2006; ... IRAQ'S NEW CONSTITUTION, RATIFIED by referendum last October, is not without its controversy. While it is claimed by its supporters to enshrine the rights of all Iraqis regardless of their religion, ethnicity or sect, many among those very sects, religious and ethnic groups consider the ...
After the oil...
Feb 01, 2006; ... Although oil accounts for over 80% of all Arab export revenues, economic pressures are compelling Middle Eastern governments to develop new trade regimes and export industries. Josh Martin reports MODERN TRADE DIPLOMACY OFTEN SELLS A PRODUCT. When the US signed its Free Trade Agreement ...
IRAQ AND THE WAR ON TERROR
Feb 01, 2006; ... BOOKS IN BRIEF BY FRED RHODES IRAQ AND THE WAR ON TERROR TWELVE MONTHS OF INSURGENCY 2004/2005 By Paul Rogers published by IB Tauris ISBN 1 84511205 9 price £12.99 paperback Since the start of the Iraq conflict, security expert Paul Rogers has produced a series of monthly reports ...
REASON AND INSPIRATION IN ISLAM
Feb 01, 2006; ... REASON AND INSPIRATION IN ISLAM Theology, Philosophy and Mysticism in Muslim Thought Edited by Todd Lawson published by IB Tauris ISBN 1 85043 470 0 price £42.50 Hardback This book takes a timely and refreshing look at the traditions of Islamic mysticism, philosophy and intellectual ...
THE YEZIDIS
Feb 01, 2006; ... THE YEZIDIS By Eszter Spat published by SAQI ISBN O 86356 593 x price £14.99 paperback Little is known about the Yezidis, an ancient and enigmatic mountain people of Kurdistan who have been unjustly labelled 'devil-worshippers' and persecuted through the ages. Eszter Spat lived in their ...
Sad new year loss
Feb 01, 2006; ... WITHIN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS IN JANUARY, THE Gulf states lost two of their respected and influential leaders. In Dubai, the ruler, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum passed away on 4 January, aged 62, while on a visit to Australia. His death was followed just 11 days later, on 15 ...
CORRECTION
Feb 01, 2006; ... CORRECTION - The December issue of The Middle East magazine incorrectly made reference to Gulf Finance house as the source for its Top Companies data {issue 362 ...
How much will the war in Iraq cost the US taxpayer?
Feb 01, 2006; ... The cost in human life remains debatable, since only the loss of American lives have been properly calculated, but the cost in financial terms of the war on Iraq are equally fudged. Joel Bainerman reports HOW MUCH WILL IT COST THE US taxpayers to fight its war in Iraq? The figure ...
FORWARD ... OR BACK?
Feb 01, 2006; ... Before the massive stroke that ended his political career, Ariel Sharon abandoned Likud to form the Kadima (Forward) party, which looked set to make a significant impact at the upcoming March elections. However, with the demise of the old warhorse Sharon, whether the new centrist party can go ...
Ankara provokes outrage and dissent
Feb 01, 2006; ... Jon Gorvett reports from Istanbul on the reforms that have split the government and society FIRST IT WAS TURKEY'S MOST famous writer. Then it was the editor of Istanbul's Armenian minority newspaper. After that, it was a list of some of the country's most distinguished journalists and ...
US firms back in Libya
Feb 01, 2006; ... The renaissance of the Libyan oil sector has been confirmed by the return of the world's biggest oil producer to the country. PRIOR TO THEIR MERGER, EXXON and Mobil both had upstream interests in Libya but in common with other US companies they pulled out during the early 1980s. Now, ...
Kremlin counters WMD threat on the high seas
Feb 01, 2006; ... RUSSIA HAS CALLED ON ITS CASPIAN neighbours to create a joint naval task force to prevent the smuggling of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), or their component parts, on the high seas. The scheme, promoted rapidly in the context of the American-led international Proliferation security ...
Middle East oil exporters rise to the global challenge
Feb 01, 2006; ... IN A GLOBALISED WORLD, ECONOMISTS, bankers and officials are having to come up with new definitions of international competitiveness. And the results of some of the latest research provide some startling surprises: the Middle East's oil exporting countries, including Saudi Arabia, now rank at ...
Aircraft business on a roll
Feb 01, 2006; ... It's boom time for the region's aviation sector as passenger numbers soar and airlines place multibillion dollar orders for new equipment. By Stephen Williams THE COMPETITION BETWEEN the world's two largest aircraft manufacturers, US-based Boeing and Europe's Airbus consortium, remains ...
Omani spectacular
Feb 01, 2006; ... HORSES AND CAMELS hold a special place in the hearts of many Arabs. Both feature prominently in epic tales of heroic events and are identified with pride and honour. They also fulfil an important economic role as a means of transport for people and goods and thus, through trade, represent a ...
CATASTROPHE REMEMBERED
Feb 01, 2006; ... CATASTROPHE REMEMBERED PALESTINE, ISRAEL AND THE INTERNAL REFUGEES Edited by Nur Masalha published by ZED BOOKS ISBN 1 84277 627 1 price £18.95 paperback Israelis call the 1948 war the "War of Independence". But for Palestinians, the war is forever the Nakba, "The Catastrophe". The ...
Fusion fashion from the Kingdom to L.A
Feb 01, 2006; ... SAUDI ARABIAN-BORN SAMORA Olayan was headlined with 35 other designers when invited to unveil her spring 2006 collection at the Los Angeles Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Smash Box Studios. The West Coast fashion extravaganza differs from the decades older New York Fashion Week with more ...
THE COMPLETE FAUNA OF IRAN
Feb 01, 2006; ... THE COMPLETE FAUNA OF IRAN Eskandar Firouz published by IB Tauris ISBN 1 85043 946 x price £49.50 hardback When we think of Iran - oil, war and Islam readily come to mind, but Iran is host to some of Asia's most diverse animal wildlife and much of it is under threat. Iran's lush ...
WITH UNITED STRENGTH
Feb 01, 2006; ... WITH UNITED STRENGTH H.H. SHEIKH ZAYID BIN SULTAN AL NAHYAN: THE LEADER AND THE NATION Published by ECSSR ISBN 9948 OO 400 OO price £45.00 hardback The formation of the United Arab Emirates in 1971, under Sheikh Zayid Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, ruler of Abu Dhabi, is one of the most ...
Jumeirah Business Center 1 & 2 sold out.(Al Fajer Properties)
Feb 05, 2006 ... Al Fajer Properties, a member of the Al Fajer Enterprises established in Dubai in 1965 by its Group President Sheikh Hasher Bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, announced that its recently launched high-end commercial towers, Jumeirah Business Center 1 & 2 situated in Jumeirah Lake Towers have been ...
Shireen's husband released from prison.
Feb 05, 2006 ... Egyptian businessman Ehab Tal'at, husband of Egyptian singer Shireen Wajdi, has been released from prison after paying a debt of 26 million Egyptian Pounds he owed to the government. A check of 15 million EGP was made by Egyptian tycoon Najib Sweiris as an assistance to Ehab. ...
Sita to develop $2 billion indirect channel market for small to medium-sized airports worldwide; first partnership in Turkey.
Feb 05, 2006 ... SITA, the market leader in the provision of IT applications to the world's leading airports, announced on Thursday plans to establish a global network of partners to provide the company's IT solutions to medium and small-sized airports which handle five million passengers or less per year ....
Airport Service Quality' Conference to host international speaker panel.(Department of Civil Aviation )
Feb 05, 2006 ... Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) and Airports Council International (ACI) recently announced the group of speakers that will be presenting at the upcoming 'Airport Service Quality' Conference. The speakers hail from across the world, and are expected to cover the many aspects of quality ...
Al Salam Bank - Bahrain's Public IPO Starts Today.(Initial public offerings)
Feb 05, 2006 ... Al Salam Bank Bahrain IPO has started today on 42,000,000 ordinary shares, 35% of the total shares, with a value of BD 42 million which amounts to AED 420 million in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. The IPO will last for two weeks to end on Sunday 19th February 2006. ...
USRobotics holds partner event in Cyprus to strengthen bonds with channel partners.
Feb 05, 2006 ... USRobotics, a Platinum Equity company, recently held its first partner event in Cyprus for USRobotics' distributors and wholesalers from the Middle East and North Africa. During the event, USRobotics rewarded its partners for their constant support and initiative in promoting ...
HH SHEIKH MOHAMMED TO GIVE AWAY PRIZE AT SPECIAL CEREMONY.
Feb 05, 2006 ... The "Environmentally-Sound Technology" exhibition, a special showcase for clean technology, will open tomorrow (February 5, 2006) as an associate event of the 9th Governing Council Special Session/Global Ministerial Environment Forum 2006 (GCSS/GMEF) meetings that begin the session on ...
Record amount raised for charity at 2006 Challenge Match.(Nakheel)
Feb 05, 2006 ... Nakheel, the UAE's leading property developer, raised a record-breaking amount for UAE charities at the 2006 Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa Challenge Match. Nakheel, a key sponsor for the event fourth consecutive year, helped to attract the world's leading players to Dubai who ...
Ducab to showcase its production capabilities in high voltage power cables at the Middle East Electricity Exhibition 2006.
Feb 05, 2006 ... Ducab, the leading manufacturer of high quality power cables in the Middle East, has announced its participation in the Middle East Electricity Exhibition and Conference that will be held at the Dubai International Exhibition Center from February 5th to 8th, 2006. During the event, Ducab ...
Saraya Jordan Appoints Dr. Khalid Al Wazani as General Manager of Saraya Aqaba.
Feb 05, 2006 ... Saraya Jordan appoints Dr. Khalid Al Wazani as the General Manager of Saraya Aqaba. Dr. Wazani brings with him years of expertise in the fields of economy and investment, which will reflect positively on Saraya Aqaba project's development and implementation, ensuring sound handling of the ...
Jordinvest Praises Staff Members at Annual Dinner Gathering Marking the End of a Successful 2005.(Jordan Investment Trust PLC)
Feb 05, 2006 ... Jordan Investment Trust PLC (Jordinvest) hosted a gala dinner and award ceremony at the Dead Sea Marriott Hotel to honor their staff members for their distinguished performance and achievements during 2005 and to brief the team on 2006's business plans and objectives. ...
Cyber Gear Celebrates 10 years of Success in e-Business.
Feb 05, 2006 ... Cyber Gear is celebrating the completion of 10 years in internet business. To mark the occasion, an online and print media campaign has been launched in major newspapers, magazines and online portals in the region. According to Sharad Agarwal, CEO of Cyber Gear, "This is a major milestone ...
Oman: Four new oil fields discovered.(Petroleum Development Oman discovers 4 new oil fields)
Feb 05, 2006 ... Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has announced the discovery of four oil fields. The discoveries, in the north at Ufuq and Dafiq, and in the south at Sakhiya-South West and Mamour, will contribute to PDO's oil production, ONA reported. The finds hold out the prospect of further ...
FIRST GP7200 ENGINE INSTALLED ON 5th A380 FLIGHT TEST AIRCRAFT.(General Electric Co)(Pratt & Whitney)
Feb 05, 2006 ... The first of four Engine Alliance GP7200 engines has been installed on the fifth A380 test aircraft, MSN009, at the Final Assembly Line in Toulouse, France. Once all four engines are installed in March the aircraft will join the flight test program as part of the certification campaign by ...
Lenovo Launches First Desktop Line for Small Business.
Feb 05, 2006 ... Lenovo, the new international and third-largest personal computing company in the world announced today its first line of desktop PCs designed specifically to meet the technology needs of small businesses the ThinkCentre E Series. Focusing on ease-of-use, affordability and reliability, ...
Qatar: Al Rayyan IPO 6 times oversubscribed; raises $3.9bn.
Feb 05, 2006 ... Qatar's Al Rayyan Bank Initial Public Offering (IPO) closed on Sunday 29th January more than 6 times over-subscribed having raised in excess of QR 14.2 billion (US$3.9 billion) in subscriptions. More than 780,000 applications were received from all GCC countries including Qatar and those ...
Clemenceau Medical Center and GE Healthcare Introduce to the Middle East the New Imaging System for Identifying Cancer, Neurological conditions and C.
Feb 05, 2006 ... In a press conference at Johns Hopkins booth in the Arab Health 06 Exhibition - Clemenceau Medical Center affiliated with Johns Hopkins Medicine International, and GE Healthcare, announce that they have signed an agreement to install at Clemenceau Medical Center, which opened recently in ...
HSBC HOLDS INAUGURAL US DOLLAR CLEARING SEMINAR FOR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS IN DUBAI.
Feb 05, 2006 ... HSBC organised its first US Dollar Clearing Seminar for Financial Institutions in Dubai at the Emirates Towers Hotel. Over 70 participants from various banks within the Middle East attended the seminar which was hosted by Mr. Michael B. Gallagher, Senior Executive Vice President and Head ...
EFG-Hermes acts as sole financial adviser to Solidere's secondary offering offering.(EFG-Hermes Investment Banking)(Brief article)
Feb 05, 2006 ... In Soloidere's efforts to increase the liquidity of its shares on the Beirut Stock Exchange, a block trade of 4.15 million local shares was executed on the Exchange this morning in a transaction worth US$ 94 million. This secondary sale of shares was marketed through an extensive ...
The National Investor appoints Head of Research.(Amer Halawi )
Feb 05, 2006 ... The National Investor (TNI), one of the leading regional investment and merchant banking firms, today announced the appointment of Amer Halawi as its Head of Research. Mr. Halawi brings to the role more than nine years experience in European equity markets. As Head of Research, ...
Empost appoints Abdelaziz A. Al Mazmi as Sales Manager - Move is part of Empost's growth strategy.
Feb 05, 2006 ... Empost, the UAE's national courier company, has announced the appointment of Abdelaziz A. Al Mazmi as its new Sales Manager. Al Mazmi will be responsible for the entire sales and business development activities of Empost both within the UAE and internationally. A Bachelor of ...
Duraid Laham intensifies his activities.(Al Aba' Al Sighar)(Brief article)
Feb 05, 2006 ... Prominent Syrian actor Duraid Laham is currently in Cairo for the grand premier of his latest film "Al Aba' Al Sighar" (Young Parents), which he wrote and directed. The film stars Duraid and young Egyptian actor Hannan Turk. Duraid will be making several public appearances to ...
Nawal Al Zoughbi deserts her love for fame.
Feb 05, 2006 ... Lebanese singer Nawal Al Zoughbi has completed filming her latest single "Shu Akhbarak" (What is Your News), with young director Randa, marking their first cooperation together. Filming took place in Lebanon over a period of two days. The story of the clip revolves around an ...
Iran to continue talks with Russia amid plans to resume uranium enrichment.(Brief article)
Feb 05, 2006 ... Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi said on Sunday the second round of talks between Tehran and Moscow will be held on February 16 as it had been scheduled previously. Referring to the Russian nuclear proposal after the Saturday resolution of the International Atomic Energy ...
EADS Astrium to supply Algeria's ALSAT-2 optical observation system.
Feb 05, 2006 ... EADS Astrium has signed a contract with the Algerian National Space Technology Centre (CNTS) for the development of the ALSAT-2 system, which consists of two optical observation satellites. ALSAT-2 is the first Earth observation satellite system from the AstroSat100 family to be built ...
Princess Sumaya University for Technology Receives CEO of the Institute for Information Industry in Taiwan.(Chief Executive Officer Mr. Jyh-Sheng Ke )
Feb 05, 2006 ... The Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for Information Industry in Taiwan Mr. Jyh-Sheng Ke recently paid a special visit to the Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT). Mr. Jyh-Sheng Ke was accompanied on his visit by Mr. Jinn-jong Lin the Trade Attache of the ...
THIRD ZAYED INTERNATIONAL PRIZE FOR ENVIRONMENT TO BE AWARDED TODAY.
Feb 05, 2006 ... More than 200 world leaders from 130 countries will be attending the award ceremony for the third Zayed International Prize for the Environment, the most prestigious environmental award in the world, which will be held today (February 6, 2006) at the Dubai international Convention and ...
SAUDI NASSIR ABDULLAH AL DOSSARI TAKES TOP JOB AT INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL GROUP'S PRIME RIYADH PROPERTY.
Feb 05, 2006 ... InterContinental Hotels Group, the world's largest hotel operator, announced the appointment of Nassir Abdullah Al Dossari to the role of General Manager for the InterContinental Riyadh. Awarded for the fourth consecutive year as the best business hotel in Riyadh by readers of ...
Toshiba appoints Hill & Knowlton for the Middle East.(Brief article)
Feb 05, 2006 ... Toshiba's Computer Systems Division announced today that the company has appointed Hill & Knowlton to spearhead its public relations strategy for the Middle East region. "Our leading position in the mobile computer market calls for the best in communication,' said Ahmed Khalil, ...
Qatar Steel improves productivity with Oracle E-Business Suite.
Feb 05, 2006 ... Qatar Steel Company (QASCO), said to be the largest steel manufacturer in the GCC region, has completed the implementation of Oracle's comprehensive business applications solution, Oracle E-Business Suite, as part of the industrial giant's expansion plans. Oracles E-Business Suite has ...
SITA TO DEVELOP $2 BILLION INDIRECT CHANNEL MARKET FOR SMALL TO MEDIUM-SIZED AIRPORTS WORLDWIDE.
Feb 05, 2006 ... SITA, the market leader in the provision of IT applications to the world's leading airports, today announced plans to establish a global network of partners to provide the company's IT solutions to medium and small-sized airports which handle five million passengers or less per year. ...
GULF AIR EXPANDS CODESHARE AGREEMENT WITH AMERICAN AIRLINES TO COVER MORE DESTINATIONS.
Feb 05, 2006 ... Gulf Air (GF) has expanded its existing codeshare agreement with American Airlines (AA), whereby AA will codeshare on two more GF destinations, i.e., Kuwait and Doha via Bahrain. The sale of tickets on this codeshared sectors began from 30 January for travel from 8 February ...
Jacky's unveils new line-up of Blaze and HP printers at Sign & Graphic Imaging 2006.(Hewlett-Packard Co.)(Jacky's Group of Companies)
Feb 05, 2006 ... With a 25 per cent growth anticipated in the Middle East printing sector, industry heavyweights HP and Blaze are showcasing the next generation of large format printers at Sign & Graphic Imaging 2006, aimed primarily at the region's booming outdoor media sector. Blaze Printing, ...
E-government experts to convene in Bahrain.
Feb 05, 2006 ... More than 30 international and regional speakers will be addressing a wide array of e-government issues at the inaugural Government Technology Middle East Conference & Exhibition (GOVTEC), being held in Bahrain from 13-15 February. Convened under the official patronage of H.E ....
Adobe Labs Delivers Early Access to Emerging Technologies.(Adobe Systems Incorporated)
Feb 05, 2006 ... Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) recently announced the launch of Adobe Labs, which builds on the initial success of Macromedia Labs to deliver next generation products and technologies to Adobe's extended community of developers and customers.Originally introduced in October 2005 ...
Epson introduces new 3LCD projectors for the education and business sector in the Middle East.
Feb 05, 2006 ... Epson has introduced two new 3LCD projectors for the classroom and business environments in the Middle East. The EMP-62 and the EMP-82 offer high-quality projection and ease of use in a stylish, compact and affordable package. The EMP-62 features a SVGA resolution of 800 x 600 ...
BankMuscat gears up for the future.
Feb 05, 2006 ... BankMuscat (SAOG), the nation's largest bank, is gearing up for the future. The bank, which posted net profit's of RO 45.4 million for the year ended 31 December 2005, (subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals) has just concluded its first International Manager's workshop in the ...
Terror group leader killed in Syria clash.
Feb 05, 2006 ... Syria's anti-terror forces early Sunday calshed with armed terrorist group in Damascus countryside of Kafer Battna, SANA reported. The group was planning to launch terrorist acts in Damascus city and countryside. The group's leader was killed and two members of the group ...
Ragheb Alama sings for Lebanese orphans in London.(Helping the needy children)
Feb 06, 2006 ... In support of children in the Middle East, Lebanese singer Ragheb Alama will be performing a concert at the Royal Albert Hall on behalf of the Melkonian Foundation and the Egyptian Association in Great Britain. The foundation, which provides support to children around the Middle East, will ...